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Baby names

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Original poster

Fanny for a girl?

294 replies

LemonZebras · 21/02/2026 16:59

Hi everyone,

I’m expecting a baby girl. My husband is French and is insistent that he wants to name our daughter after his aunt who raised him - Fanny! It’s a common French name, but the baby will be born and raised in the UK.

Am I unreasonable to say no and to worry that she would be bullied or made fun of? My husband thinks I’m overreacting and that the slang word is barely used nowadays and that not many people know of it.

I will be showing him this thread with the different responses.

Thank you

OP posts:
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Flannelfeet · 21/02/2026 17:28

😆 🤣 😂. Sweet fanny Adams!!

Her wee brother can be named dick.

llamashoe · 21/02/2026 17:28

You need to show him the Irn Bru advert where the baby is called Fanny 😅

Edit: just noticed this has already been discussed!

peacefulpeach · 21/02/2026 17:27

LemonZebras · 21/02/2026 17:27

Thank you everyone! My husband has read the thread, he’s agreed that Fanny was a no-go, and we are now considering Louise instead, his aunt’s middle name.

Phew! A close call for your daughter.

Original poster
LemonZebras · 21/02/2026 17:27

WearyAuldWumman · 21/02/2026 17:26

No.

Show him the Irn Bru advert.

This is brilliant!!

OP posts:
Nevermind17 · 21/02/2026 17:27

Suggest Chatte or Minou instead.

FrozenFebruary · 21/02/2026 17:27

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 21/02/2026 17:23

Willie and Dick are not fine. No one this century calls their kid Dick.

You can't call her Fanny. I don't even think it's a name in the UK anymore (as in actually used for babies in the last 40? years) because it's so universally means female genitlia. I tried to think of another slang term to use there and all I could think of was fanny. Possibly 'twat'?

The ONS lists how many babies have had a name since 1996. They only count if more than 2 have had the name in a year. There are no results for Fanny. Hopefully that will make your DH realise it really is that bad.

@LemonZebras

this is worth highlighting to him! THAT's how bad it is!!

Glendaruel · 21/02/2026 17:27

What about Fanny Virginia? Think it has something memorable about it?

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 21/02/2026 17:27

No

Changename12 · 21/02/2026 17:27

No you can’t Don’t you both have to agree to the name anyway?

Original poster
LemonZebras · 21/02/2026 17:27

Thank you everyone! My husband has read the thread, he’s agreed that Fanny was a no-go, and we are now considering Louise instead, his aunt’s middle name.

OP posts:
StephensLass1977 · 21/02/2026 17:26

Nope. It is literally slang for vagina. Up to you ultimately, but it's a massive no from me.

BrightLightTonight · 21/02/2026 17:26

Absolutely not!

Even without the sexual connotations, it was always a name for a scullery maid.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 21/02/2026 17:26

DON'T DO IT OP.

fruitsalads · 21/02/2026 17:26

GreenEyesIsBack · 21/02/2026 17:15

NOT Myfanwy, which just sounds like, my fanny.
I know it's a lovely Welsh name, but just no.

Show quote history

My Welsh friends have a Myfanwy, lovely name but they shorten it to Myf, which everyone pronounces Muff!! I think that’s even worse than Fanny!! 😂

FortyFacedFuckers · 21/02/2026 17:26

Absolutely do not do it!!

I actually worked with a French lady called this and even grown adults acted very awfully
about it!

CarrotGiraffeandaTeddyBear · 21/02/2026 17:26

How about Pussy instead?

Sausagemagoo · 21/02/2026 17:26

No no no! Ugh!

YouOKHun · 21/02/2026 17:25

Why not call her Vulva, no child wants to be saddled with a nick name like Fanny once they’re an adult.

cramptramp · 21/02/2026 17:25

Noooooooooooooo!

FrozenFebruary · 21/02/2026 17:25

CaptainMyCaptain · 21/02/2026 17:17

It doesn't sound like that if you say it right.

Show quote history

Yes, but c'min how many people in England would 'say ut right?' They'd just be beside themselves with My Fanny.

@LemonZebras

tell him not be so ridiculous & cruel. You cannot. And a baby fanny in England & that's where he's living!

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 21/02/2026 17:24

NamingNoNames · 21/02/2026 17:21

There is so much more diversity now and children don't take the mick out of other children's names, and I know this because I have a nearly 4 year old and my SIL has a SIL who is a TA.
HTH

Haha - nicely done. FWIW I've been a teacher for twenty years and this is usually my view. I once taught a child of Vietnamese heritage called Phúc and no-one turned a hair.

I make an exception to my usual view for the name Fanny. It is a terrible, terrible idea.

StrongLikeMamma · 21/02/2026 17:24

Nooooo!!!!

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 21/02/2026 17:23

Willie and Dick are not fine. No one this century calls their kid Dick.

You can't call her Fanny. I don't even think it's a name in the UK anymore (as in actually used for babies in the last 40? years) because it's so universally means female genitlia. I tried to think of another slang term to use there and all I could think of was fanny. Possibly 'twat'?

The ONS lists how many babies have had a name since 1996. They only count if more than 2 have had the name in a year. There are no results for Fanny. Hopefully that will make your DH realise it really is that bad.

amylou8 · 21/02/2026 17:22

I went on a French exchange when I was 12 in 1988, the girl I was paired with was called Fanny. Poor Fanny did rather get the piss taken out of her. Don't do it.

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